Howl-O-Scream, then s'mores: a spooky weekend in Williamsburg
The weekend runs from coasters climbing into a black October sky, to fog drifting across the walk back to the car, to a marshmallow going gold over the firepit back at the inn. Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Williamsburg runs select nights from September 11 through November 1, 2026, with scare programming from 6 PM to park close, and entry is included with regular park admission and Busch Gardens Membership. As of mid-October the final weekends are still ahead, including Halloween night on Saturday, October 31. This guide covers the Williamsburg, Virginia park only.
Key takeaways
These five points answer most of what people ask before they book.
- Dates and start time: Howl-O-Scream runs select nights through November 1, 2026, with scares from 6 PM to park close.
- Admission: The event is included with park admission and Busch Gardens Membership. Quick Queue, dining and tour upgrades are sold separately.
- Intensity: Busch Gardens says the amplified scares are not recommended for children. Younger kids are better suited to the daytime Halloween Spooktacular.
- Rules: Guest costumes are not permitted, bags are restricted after 4 PM, and there is no re-entry after 8 PM.
- The weekend: Two nights leave room for Colonial Williamsburg by bike, the park after dark and firepit s'mores at Rochambeau.
Howl-O-Scream Williamsburg 2026 dates, hours and tickets
Howl-O-Scream is a Halloween event that runs on select nights. It is not a separate park, so the basics come down to the calendar and your admission.
| Planning detail | What applies in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Event dates | Select nights, September 11 through November 1. Dates are subject to change or cancellation. |
| Remaining dates | Final weekends in October, including Halloween on Saturday, October 31, through Sunday, November 1 |
| Scare programming | 6 PM to park close. Closing time varies by night. |
| Admission | Included with park admission. Members get seasonal event admission, free guest tickets and free parking. |
| Upgrades | Quick Queue gives priority access to haunted houses and select rides on your selected date. The All-Day Dining Deal lets you eat and drink every 90 minutes for one price. Howl-O-Scream Tours go behind the scenes. |
| Parking | Free for Members. Sold separately for everyone else. |
| Re-entry | Not permitted after 8 PM |
Before you book: Check the official Busch Gardens Williamsburg Howl-O-Scream page for your exact night before buying tickets or reserving a room, because hours vary by date. Lock in the night first, then build the weekend around it.
How scary Howl-O-Scream gets, and who it suits
Howl-O-Scream is built for adults. Busch Gardens describes amplified scares that are not recommended for children, advises parental discretion, and asks families with young children to use discretion after 6 PM. Expect dark walkways, scare actors, horror imagery and sudden sounds alongside the rides, food and shows.
Someone who is fine with gore may still hate being approached by a performer. It helps to know which of these bothers your group before you arrive.
The chaperone policy also shapes who can go. From 4 PM until park close, guests aged 15 and under must be with a chaperone aged 21 or older. One chaperone can accompany no more than six guests aged 15 and under. Guests 16 and older without a chaperone must show a government-issued photo ID, and Busch Gardens recommends that anyone under 18 be with an adult. Full terms are on the official chaperone policy page.
| Your group | Evening plan | Honest note |
|---|---|---|
| Couples and friends who like horror | The full Howl-O-Scream night | Put the houses you care about first |
| Older teens | Howl-O-Scream. Ages 16–17 need photo ID, and ages 15 and under need a 21+ chaperone. | Agree on a meeting point before entering scare zones |
| Scare-sensitive adults | Shows, coasters and food and drink stops | Scare zones are part of the after-dark atmosphere, so they can be hard to avoid |
| Families with young children | Halloween Spooktacular, which runs Saturdays and Sundays through November 1 | Plan to wrap up before 6 PM |
If you want to know about a no-scare necklace or similar product, ask Guest Relations on arrival. The official Williamsburg event page does not describe one.
What happens after dark: houses, Terror-tories, shows and coasters
From 6 PM, the park's regular pathways become part of the Halloween experience.
The haunted houses
Busch Gardens lists five haunted houses for 2026. Reported houses include:
- Anaconda: Dead on Arrival: a search into the Amazon for a missing film crew
- Fright at the Museum: an archaeological dig gone wrong
- Werewolves: The Wolf's Revenge: a captured creature, and the hunters become the hunted
- Bloodshot: an undead dive bar in the ruins of Pompeii
- Clown Town: clowns expelled from the Festa Italia village
The Terror-tories
Terror-tories are open-air scare zones set along the walkways between attractions. The five reported for 2026 are:
- Viper Valley
- Witch's Way
- Disgrotesque
- Wicked Wunderland
- Ripper Row
Because the zones sit along park walkways, scare-sensitive guests should expect to encounter some of them.
Shows and themed bars
Four Sinister Shows give you a seated break between queues. They include Undead Diva, Skeletones In Your Closet and Monster Stomp on Ripper Row.
Six themed BOOze bars are spread across the park. Alcohol sales require valid ID showing you are 21 or older, with a limit of two drinks per ID per transaction.
Coasters in the dark
Coasters run at night during Howl-O-Scream, and riding one in the dark feels very different from riding it at noon. Rides can close for weather or maintenance, so check the park app on the night rather than relying on a fixed list.
A night plan that keeps you out of the longest lines
The evening goes better with a loose plan. You can't leave and come back after 8 PM, so it pays to think the night through before you walk in.
- Arrive before 6 PM. Check the park calendar for daytime hours on your date and use any earlier time for rides before scare programming begins.
- Eat before the houses. Finding dinner gets harder once the crowds shift toward the scare attractions.
- Pick three must-do houses. Treat everything else as a bonus. If your must-do list is longer than the night, look at Quick Queue's priority access for haunted houses before you go.
- Check showtimes on arrival. Plan one show as your mid-evening reset, ideally between your second and third house.
Set a meeting point before anyone enters a scare zone. This matters most for mixed groups where some people want to sprint to Clown Town and others want to sit out the gore.
A two-night Howl-O-Scream weekend from Rochambeau
With only one night, the park feels like a commute. Two nights give Williamsburg room to become the weekend, especially for drive-market trips. Richmond is roughly 55 minutes away, Virginia Beach about an hour, Washington, D.C. about two and a half to three hours, and Raleigh three to three and a half hours.
Friday: check in and light the fire
Contactless check-in makes arrival straightforward after a long drive. Park outside your door and leave the car there. The outdoor firepit has free firewood, and you can buy s'mores kits in the lobby or add them before you arrive. Your first marshmallow can be roasting within the hour. Make Rochambeau your home base and save your energy for Saturday night.
Saturday: Colonial Williamsburg by bike, Busch Gardens by night
Morning. Take the complimentary bicycles for the ten-minute ride into Colonial Williamsburg. Spend the morning on Duke of Gloucester Street and around Merchants Square while the Historic Area is still waking up. For more ideas, see things to do in Williamsburg this fall, or discover Williamsburg's historic side through the story of the inn's namesake, Comte de Rochambeau.
Mid-afternoon. Ride back and rest. Change into warm layers and eat something. Doing the Historic Area and Howl-O-Scream back to back without a break is how evenings fall apart by 9 PM.
Evening. Drive to Busch Gardens. The bikes are for town, not the park run. Leave your bag behind, since the bag rule starts at 4 PM.
Late. Drive back, wind down, and save the last marshmallow for the walk from the car.
William & Mary parents have a good reason to aim for October 24. That is Homecoming Saturday, with kickoff against Georgetown at 3:30 PM at Zable Stadium, and it is also a Howl-O-Scream night. You can watch the game, then have an adults' night at the park while the students do their own thing.
Sunday: the slow way home
Sleep in. If you have a spare afternoon, enjoy a fall bike ride on the Capital Trail before the drive home. Browse a local guide to Williamsburg for where to eat on the way out.
Costumes, bags and what to wear
Most people who get turned around at the gate get caught out by the bag rule. Here is what applies for the 2026 event:
- Costumes: Guest costumes are not permitted at Howl-O-Scream.
- Bags: No bags after 4 PM, except wristlets and fanny packs smaller than 8" x 5". These are subject to inspection.
- Re-entry: Not permitted after 8 PM.
- What to wear: Layers, closed-toe walking shoes and a charged phone in a pocket-sized case.
- Accessibility: The Ride Accessibility Program enrolls guests at the Welcome Center, just inside the entrance. It does not cover shows or events. Sign language interpreters and vision assistance are free but must be requested at least 14 days ahead. Details are on the Guests with Disabilities page, or call (757) 229-4386.
- Dogs: The Classic Double takes up to two dogs at $75 per dog, per stay. Dogs can never be left unattended in the room, even in a crate. If your dog is coming, plan the park night around someone staying behind, or review our pet-friendly stay policy before you commit.
Where to stay for a Howl-O-Scream weekend in Williamsburg
The right base depends on whether the park is the whole trip or one night of it.
1. Rochambeau Roadside Inn: best for making the whole weekend the point. This 1954 roadside motel on Capitol Landing Road has 22 restored rooms. It sits about 1.4 km from the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center, with free parking outside every door. The rooms have tiled walk-in showers with glass doors and mattresses handcrafted in Norfolk by Paramount Sleep. Room options:
- Bunks: sleep up to four.
- Family Suite: links a bunk room and a king room, each with its own bathroom.
- General's Quarters: a 470-square-foot suite with a private patio and kitchenette, on a two-night minimum. This suits a two-night Howl-O-Scream weekend well.
Bikes, the firepit and s'mores fill the hours the park doesn't. Explore our Williamsburg rooms or see what past guests say about their stay.
2. Historic-area inns and hotels: best for guests centered on Colonial Williamsburg. Fife and Drum Inn and Colonial Williamsburg Hotels are among the options for travelers who want to stay closer to the Historic Area.
3. Chain hotels: best for points collectors. Hampton Inn & Suites Williamsburg Historic District is an option for travelers who prefer a familiar hotel brand.
Wrong fit: Rochambeau is not the right choice if staying within walking distance of the park gate is your priority.
Pick your night, then book the room
Check the official Busch Gardens calendar for your night, then reserve two nights around it. The final weekends, including Halloween, are still ahead.
Howl-O-Scream Williamsburg FAQs
These are the questions people ask most before booking a Howl-O-Scream night.
What time does Howl-O-Scream start in Williamsburg?
Scare programming starts at 6 PM and runs to park close, which varies by night. Check the official calendar for your date, and remember that re-entry is not permitted after 8 PM.
Is Howl-O-Scream included with Busch Gardens Williamsburg admission?
Yes. Howl-O-Scream is included with park admission and Busch Gardens Membership. Quick Queue, the All-Day Dining Deal and Howl-O-Scream Tours are sold separately. Members also get free parking.
Is Howl-O-Scream too scary for kids?
Busch Gardens says its amplified scares are not recommended for children and advises parental discretion. Families with young children are better off at the daytime Halloween Spooktacular on Saturdays and Sundays through November 1.
Can you wear a costume to Howl-O-Scream?
No. Guest costumes are not permitted at Howl-O-Scream. Dress for a long evening on your feet instead, with warm layers and closed-toe walking shoes. Keep your bag small, since only wristlets and fanny packs under 8" x 5" are allowed after 4 PM.
Does Griffon go upside down?
Yes. Griffon is reported to have two Immelmann loops, a 205-foot lift and a 54-inch height minimum. Rides can close for weather or maintenance, so check the park app on your night.
What is there to do after Howl-O-Scream closes?
Head back to Rochambeau for the outdoor firepit. Firewood is free, and s'mores kits are sold in the lobby or can be added before arrival. Buying the kit ahead means the end of the night takes no planning.